Cameroon’s Kribi oil refinery plans to begin partial operations in the second half of 2026, almost two years earlier than its original June 2028 timeline.
During the first phase, the refinery will process about 10,000 barrels per day, which represents one-third of its planned 30,000 bpd capacity, and will supply roughly 22 percent of the country’s diesel and gasoline needs.
Supported by Cstar Petroleum, SNH, Tradex SA, and Ariana Energy, the project aims to cut fuel imports by nearly one-third, reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and improve fuel availability across the country.
Developers have already started preparatory activities such as building a base camp, while full construction is expected to begin in January 2026.
SNH is developing the refinery as part of its wider energy plan, locating it five kilometers from the Kribi deep-water port on a 250-hectare site.
Reports indicate that front-end engineering design studies are about 80 percent complete, showing steady progress toward the construction phase.
The Dubai-based special purpose vehicle CSTAR Refinery Project Management LLC-FZ is executing the project, which targets a production capacity of 30,000 barrels per day, or about 1.5 million tonnes annually, with total investment estimated at $622 million.
Energy Capital Power says the project will include a fuel storage terminal that can hold between 250,000 and 300,000 cubic meters, with capacity for diesel, gasoline, Jet A1, kerosene, and heavy fuel oil.
A construction team made up of RCG Turnkey Solutions, Global Process Systems, and China’s Norinco International is overseeing the build, while BGFI Cameroon is responsible for raising about $215 million in financing.
Once operational, the refinery is expected to generate about $250 million each year from marine and petrochemical exports, save around $680 million annually on fuel imports, create more than 7,000 jobs, and support skills development for local workers.
Cameroon currently depends heavily on imported refined fuel after the shutdown of its only other refinery, Sonara in Limbe, in 2019.
The country sources diesel and gasoline mainly from Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, France, and occasionally suppliers in the Middle East and Asia.
By refining more of its crude oil locally, the Kribi refinery is expected to lower Cameroon’s exposure to global price swings and reduce the risk of supply disruptions.
source: africa.businessinsider.com
African Energy Council